Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Alfa Romeo S.p.a.

Franco Cocchiara

Remo Del Grosso

Gian P Garcea

Mario Camarsa

A reactor for the oxidation of unburned and partially burned components in the exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine comprising a chamber which is substantially circular in cross-sections perpendicular to its axis, one or more inlet pipes which pass a mixture of exhaust gas and air substantially tangentially into the chamber near to one end thereof, and an outlet pipe near to the other end of the chamber and which is so arranged that exhaust gas leaves the chamber substantially tangentially. The tangential inlet and tangential outlet of gases minimizes energy losses in the gas passing through the reactor. The ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the inlet pipe(s) to reactor chamber is preferably from 1:9 to 25:36, and similar ranges of cross-sectional area ratios are preferred for the outlet pipe and chamber. The ratio of the length of the reaction chamber to diameter is preferably from 1:1 to 4:1. The chamber may be cylindrical or divergent from inlet end to outlet end and may be thermally insulated.

Exhaust gas reactor

A catalytic reactor assembly for purifying exhaust gas from internal combustion engine comprises a first bed of catalytic material which promotes reducing reactions in exhaust gas from the engine between unburned and partially burned fuel components and NO.sub.x whereby the latter is substantially converted to nitrogen and a second bed of catalytic material which promotes oxidizing reactions in the presence of added air to oxidize unburned and partially burned components of exhaust gas from the first bed. Exhaust gas is constrained to pass substantially radially outwards from the interior of the first bed to a collection space therearound and is then directed to the interior of the second bed for passage radially outwardly therethrough before discharge to atmosphere. The two catalytic beds are preferably cylindrical or annular, and located end-to-end for maximum conversions with minimum pressure drop. Baffle means are located between the catalytic beds for directing the exhaust gas from the collection space around the first bed to the interior of the second catalyst bed. Additionally, either the axis of the second bed is off-set from the axis of the first bed or the second bed has a non-uniform porosity so that there is a substantially constant pressure drop across any radial point in the second bed.

Growing community of inventors

Rome, Italy

Franco Cocchiara